FIREWORKS OVER PARIS

“War and Peace” was the theme in Paris this July 14, as fireworks blazed in the skies above the capital to celebrate Bastille Day and mark 100 years since the beginning of the First World War. The July 14 holiday is the French national day, and commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison at the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789.

A WALK TROUGH MONTMARTRE

A WALK IN PARIS'S 18TH ARRONDISSEMENT

I LOVE PARIS (PART 1)

PERSPECTIVES ON PARIS

Palais de Chaillot at Trocadéro The Trocadéro, site of the Palais de Chaillot, is an area of Paris in the 16th arrondissement, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. The hill of the Trocadéro is the hill of Chaillot, a former village.

MUSÉE DE LA CHASSE

Founded in 1964 by the French industrialist and sportsman François Sommer and his wife, the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature is one of Paris's weirdest museums and, for those with a high tolerance for taxidermy, one of the city's best days out.

NATIONAL NAVY MUSEUM

The National Navy Museum is a maritime museum located in the Palais de Chaillot, Trocadéro, in the XVIe arrondissement of Paris.

SAINTE-CHAPELLE

SAINTE-CHAPELLE, A PEARL OF GOTHIC ART

VARIATIONS ON THE SACRÉ-CŒUR

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

MUSÉE RODIN

RODIN'S SCUPLTURE AT THE HÔTEL BIRON

ART NOUVEAU IN PARIS: HECTOR GUIMARD

Hector Guimard (1867 – 1942) was an architect, who is now the best-known representative of the French Art Nouveau style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

PARIS CARNIVAL

The Paris Carnival is a carnival that occurs after the Feast of Fools and has been held since the sixteenth century or earlier, with a long 20th century interregnum.The Carnival has a very long history in the French capital. Nicolas de Baye wrote in his journal in 1411: "Monday, the 22nd of February, the royal household, in order to observe the Lenten feast, which is tomorrow, will be rising before dawn".

AMELIE'S PARIS

he area around place des Abbesses, near the Butte de Montmartre, is one of the capital's most charming neighbourhoods. It's also familiar to audiences across the world as the location for Amélie, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's fantastic romantic comedy that starred Audrey Tautou as a quirky young woman playing practical jokes to improve the lives of the people around her. Much of Amélie's appeal revolves around the idyllic, picture-postcard vision of Paris that its heroine inhabits .

PLACE DU TERTRE, MONTMARTRE

MUSÉE BOURDELLE

Musée Bourdelle: An artist's studio adrift in time.

Place de la Concorde

Wandering around the Place de la Concorde

STREET ART IN PARIS'S 13TH ARR.

From five-storey-high portraits to building-wide political slogans, the giant murals that decorate the walls of the unpreposessing apartment blocks in Paris's 13th arrondissement are quite literally unmissable for anyone passing through the neighbourhood. The product of a collaboration between the local council and a gallery called Galerie Itinerrance, they represent the work of some of the world's finest street art practitioners.

THE WORLD OF ALBERT KAHN

THE JAPANESE GARDEN. In 1893 Albert Kahn, a French banker and philanthropist, acquired a large property in Boulogne-Billancourt, in the western suburbs of Paris, where he established a unique garden containing a variety of garden styles including English, Japanese, a rose garden and a conifer wood. This became a meeting place for French and European intelligentsia until the 1930s when due to the Crash of 1929, Kahn became bankrupt.

VAUX LE VICOMTE

Vaux le Vicomte, the castle that inspired Versailles.

ALONG THE CANAL ST MARTIN

TAKING BACK THE WATERSIDE

TAKING BACK THE WATERSIDE WITH THE SEINE RIVERBANKS PROJECT The banks of Paris's River Seine are already classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But the Berges de Seine project is an ambitious plan to bring back foot traffic to the riverside, renovating these spaces with a multitude of activities for Parisians and tourists alike.

FAMOUS SQUARES IN PARIS

Paris is known as the City of Light. Part of the credit for this sobriquet can be ascribed to long-standing city ordinances that have restricted the height of buildings in the central city.

La Ruche

La Ruche, a historic artist's residence in Paris. Located in the "Passage Dantzig," in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, La Ruche was an old three-storey circular structure that got its name because it looked more like a large beehive than any dwelling for humans. Originally a temporary building designed by Gustave Eiffel for use as a wine rotunda at the Great Exposition of 1900, the structure was dismantled and re-erected as low-cost studios for artists by Alfred Boucher (1850–1934).

THE SUMPTUOUS DECOR

THE SUMPTUOUS DECOR OF THE HÔTEL DE VILLE, PARIS. The Hôtel de Ville is the building housing the city's local administration. Standing on the place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville (formerly place de Grève) in the city's IVe arrondissement, it has been the location of the municipality of Paris since 1357. It serves multiple functions, housing the local administration, the Mayor of Paris (since 1977), and also serves as a venue for large receptions.

SCULPTURES EQUESTRES

Horseback riding in the Bois de Boulogne, the racecourse at Longchamp, the notorious boucheries chevalines and, er, the Crazy Horse cabaret ... there's obviously no shortage of horse-related activity in France's capital for those ready and willing to seek it out. But keep your eyes open on the streets of the city and you'll also encounter striking examples of the city's historical obsession with equestrian sculpture.

VILLAGES WITHIN THE CITY: CHARONNE

The Charonne quarter is an area of the 20th arrondissement of Paris named after a former municipality in the area, which was merged into the city of Paris in 1860 by Napoleon III. The historic centre of Charonne is located around the junction of Rue de Bagnolet and Rue Saint-Blaise, in the vicinity of the parish church of Saint-Germain-de-Charonne.

PARIS'S AXE HISTORIQUE

HEY, UGLY: THE FAUX-MEDIEVAL GARGOYL

HEY, UGLY: THE FAUX-MEDIEVAL GARGOYLES OF NOTRE DAME The birds, animals, monsters and leering grotesques that peer from the stonework of Notre-Dame de Paris, high above the streets of the capital, are one of the cathedral's best-known features. Less well known, however, is that these ugly sentinels are not the ancient images they appear to be, but 19th-century recreations or pastiches of a vanished medieval past …

REBIRTH OF CARREAU DU TEMPLE

In 2001, Bertrand Delanoë, Mayor of Paris, and Pierre Aidenbaum, Mayor of the 3rd arrondissement, decided to breathe new life into Le Carreau du Temple, emblematic spot of the Haut-Marais. The monument rehabilitation project has been the fruit of an innovative participatory democracy process.

GALERIE DE PALÉONTOLOGIE

The Gallery of Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy is a part of the FrenchNational Museum of Natural History. It is situated in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. The Gallery was inaugurated in 1898 as part of l' Expositions universelles de Paris of 1900 and was the creation of professors Albert Gaudry (Professor of Paleontology) and Georges Pouchet (Professor of Comparative Anatomy) who wished to preserve and present to the public collections of great historic and scientific importance.

SPRING IS SPRUNG IN PARIS

Spring may have been a long time coming after the long winter of 2012-13, but step into one of Paris's green spaces and it all suddenly seems worth the wait. The Parc Floral, opposite the Château de Vincennes in the southeastern 12th arrondissement, is one of the best places near the city to soak up the pleasures of the season in a sudden riot of blossom and flowers.

JARDIN DES PLANTES

THE PARIS OPERA

THE ARCHITECTS OF LA DÉFENSE

La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie, and Puteaux. The district is at the westernmost extremity of Paris's 10 km long Historical Axis, which starts at the Louvre in Central Paris and continues along the Champs-Élysées, well beyond the Arc de Triomphe before culminating at La Défense.

VILLAGES WITHIN THE CITY:

Montmartre

PARIS IN RED

AUTUMN ON ÎLE DE LA CITÉ

The Île de la Cité is one of two remaining natural islands in the Seine within the city of Paris (the other being the Île Saint-Louis).

SQUARE DES BATIGNOLLES

THE BUTTES CHAUMONT

CHRISTMAS WINDOWS IN PARIS

THE EXTERIOR OF THE LOUVRE PALACE

The present-day Louvre Palace is a vast complex of wings and pavilions on four main levels which, although it looks to be unified, is the result of many phases of building, modification, destruction and restoration. The Palace is situated in the right-bank of the River Seine between Rue de Rivoli to the north and the Quai François Mitterrand to the south. To the west is the Jardin des Tuileries and, to the east, the Rue de l'Amiral de Coligny .

THE ARC DE TRIOMPHE

CROSSING THE PONT DES ARTS

HOTHOUSE BLOOMS

ORCHIDS AT PARIS'S JARDIN DES PLANTES Meet the orchid family! For three weeks in February-March 2013, the tropical greenhouses in the middle of Paris's Jardin des Plantes have been transformed into a strange jungle, home to drapes of prehistoric-looking foliage punctuated with the dazzling colours and alien shapes of some of the world's strangest flowers. Showcasing not only the public holdings of the botanical gardens.

GOING WITH THE FLOW IN PARIS

Paris in its early history had only the Seine and Bièvre rivers for water. Later forms of irrigation were a 1st-century Roman aqueduct from southerly Wissous; sources from the Right bank hills from the late 11th century; from the 15th century, an aqueduct built roughly along the path of the abandoned Wissous aqueduct; also, from 1809, the canal de l'Ourcq, providing Paris with water from less-polluted rivers to the northeast of the capital.

ZOOLOGICAL PARK OF VINCENNES

The Zoo of Vincennes was opened in 1934, inspired by the popular zoo of the 1931 Colonial Exposition. It was modelled upon the Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, and was revolutionary for its time for putting the animals in open plateaus separated by moats rather than in cages. The most prominent feature is a sixty-five meter high artificial mountain, which is the home of a herd of mouflon, or wild sheep. The zoo has a notable history of successfully breeding wild species, including Indian elephants

GLITZ AND GRANDEUR

Parisian glamour

NEOCLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE IN PARIS

THE RIGHT STUFF: TAXIDERMY

The unassuming brown frontage of Deyrolle on rue du Bac hides one of Paris's weirdest treasures, a vast collection of stuffed animals, preserved insects and impaled butterflies that's more like a cabinet of curiosities than a shop. Deyrolle, which opened at this address in 1888, was once a magnet for thrillseeking Surrealists such as André Breton and Salvador Dalí, and its still flocks of exotic birds.

SCULPTURES IN PARIS

Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres. Its influences in the arts contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. Paris is the most visited city in the world. The city and its region contain 3,800 historical monuments and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

MULTICULTURAL PARIS

THE GRANDS BOULEVARDS

MONTMARTRE STREETS

STEPS AND SKYSCRAPERS AT LA DÉFENSE

La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. The district is at the westernmost extremity of Paris's 10 km long Historical Axis, which starts at the Louvre in Central Paris and continues along the Champs-Élysées, well beyond the Arc de Triomphe before culminating at La Défense.

PARIS'S MARAIS DISTRICT

CLOSE-UP VIEWS OF PARIS'S 6TH ARR.

The 6th arrondissement is home to some of Paris's best-known and best-loved sights and places: the Sorbonne University, the medieval abbey of Saint-Germain, the cafés and bars haunted by a century of literary spectres … If you've been there, you won't have missed them, and if not, there are plenty of picture-postcard views elsewhere. Instead, here are some close-ups, viewpoints and details from slightly off the beaten tourist track.

RENAISSANCE IN PARIS

IN THE HEART OF PARIS: LES HALLES

FINE LINES: ART DECO IN PARIS

I LOVE PARIS (PART 4)

I LOVE PARIS

PARC DE BERCY

The park is made up of three gardens designed by architects Bernard Huet, Madeleine Ferrand, Jean-Pierre Feugas, Bernard Leroy, and by landscapers Ian Le Caisne and Philippe Raguin between 1993 and 1997. 21 sculptures of Rachid Khimoune's "Children of the World" installation, created in 2001 to honour children's rights.

PARIS'S SPLEDID CELLINGS

PARLEZ-VOUS FRANÇAIS ?

PARIS ACROSS THE AGES

MUSÉE NISSIM DE CAMONDO

The Musée Nissim de Camondo is an elegant house museum of French decorative arts located in the Hôtel Camondo, at the edge of the Parc Monceau, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.

THE HEIGHTS OF PARIS:

THE HEIGHTS OF PARIS: VIEWS FROM THE MONTPARNASSE TOWER

A WALK IN PARIS'S 16TH ARR.

With its ornate 19th century buildings, large avenues, prestigious schools, museums and various parks, the arrondissement has long been known as one of French high society's favorite places of residence (comparable to New York's Upper East Side or London's Kensington and Chelsea) to such an extent that the phrase "le 16e" has been associated with great wealth in French popular culture.

GUSTAVE EIFFEL'S TOWER

Eiffel had a permit for the tower to stand for 20 years; it was to be dismantled in 1909, when its ownership would revert to the City of Paris. The original contest rules for designing a tower was that it should be easy to demolish. In 2010, the tower received its 250 millionth visitor.

DAZZLING MODERNITY IN BEAUGRENELLE

The Beaugrenelle “village” was created in June 1824, in a time that saw tremendous progress, industry, technological advances, and echoed with such famous names as Javel, Eiffel, and Citroen.

RIVE GAUCHE: THE EAST SIDE

Cité florale Each of the houses within this neighbourhood has its own flower garden, the streets are paved and are named after flowers.

MUSÉE ZADKINE

The Musée Zadkine is dedicated to the work of sculptor Ossip Zadkine (1890–1967). It is located near the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris and open daily except Monday; an admission fee is only charged when an exhibition is on. The museum also contains a fine garden, with no charge for entry. The museum was established by Valentine Prax, Zadkine's wife, who willed their home and studio since 1928, plus his personal collection, to the City of Paris.

PARISIAN CAFÉS

A WALK IN PARIS'S 19TH ARR.

Situated on the Right Bank of the River Seine, it is crossed by two canals, the Canal Saint-Denis and the Canal de l'Ourcq.

LS INVALIDES

PARIS IN WHITE

A VISIT TO BERCY

PARIS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

CITÉ DE L'ARCHIRECTURE

MODERN ARCHITECTURE

PARC MONTSOURIS

PARIS DRESSED FOR CHRISTMAS

MACHINES FOR LIVING: LE CORBUSIER

Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, the Swiss architect better known under his pseudonym Le Corbusier, was one of the pioneers of architectural modernism. His use of industrial techniques and materials such as steel, concrete and plate glass helped to set the template for the Modern style, and deeply influenced many of the post-war reconstruction and urban renewal projects undertaken in Europe.

IN THE STREETS OF ANCIENT PARIS

PARC MONCEAU

PARIS MOTOR SHOW

PIGALLE BY DAY

I LOVE PARIS (PART 1)

MAILLOL'S SCULPTURES IN THE TUILERIE

GRAFFITI AND STREET ART

The Belleville area in eastern Paris is one of Paris's trendiest up-and-coming neighbourhoods, and rue Denoyez is one of its coolest spots. Street art is legal on rue Denoyez, unlike most places in the sober French capital, and the walls of this two-block area are an ever-changing fresco of graffiti. This open-air gallery gets a daily makeover from tireless crews of artists. Depending on their level of activity, the road's entire paint scheme could change in an afternoon. Occasional exhibitions

NOTRE DAME DU TRAVAIL

THE BEAMING BODHISATTVAS

Something rather extraordinary is happening at Paris's upmarket Place Vendôme, home to the Paris Ritz, the French Ministry of Justice and a number of big-ticket jewellers. The frontages of its genteel 18th-century buildings are now dominated by giant sculptures by the Taiwanese artist Li Chen, towering cartoonish figures in bronze drawn from his readings in Buddhist and Taoist texts. The twelve monumental sculptures will be on display until September 29th, 2013.

MUSÉE GUSTAVE MOREAU

The Musée national Gustave Moreau is an art museum dedicated to the works of Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau. It is located in Paris's IXe arrondissement at 14, rue de la Rochefoucauld.

I LOVE PARIS !PART 2)

CONSERVATOIRE NATIONAL DES ARTS ET M

Musée des Arts et Métiers The museum has over 80,000 objects and 15,000 drawings in its collection, of which about 2,500 are on display in Paris. The rest of the collection is preserved in a storehouse in Saint-Denis. Among its collection is an original version of the Foucault pendulum, the original model of the Statue of Liberty by Auguste Bartholdi, some of the first planes (Clément Ader's Avion III, Louis Blériot's Blériot XI...), Blaise Pascal's Pascaline (the first mechanical calculator).

MUSEUMS OF PARIS

SCULPTURES AT CLUNY MUSEUM

Hôtel de Cluny The museum is located in the 5th arrondissement. It was formerly the town house of the abbots of Cluny, started in 1334. The structure was rebuilt by Jacques d'Amboise, abbot in commendam of Cluny 1485-1510. In 1833 Alexandre du Sommerard moved here and installed his large collection of medieval and Renaissance objects. Upon his death in 1842 the collection was purchased by the state; the building was opened as a museum in 1843, with du Sommerard's son serving as the first curator

SUMMER IN PARC ANDRÉ CITROËN

Built on the banks of the Seine, on a site once occupied by the Citroën manufacturing plant, the Parc André Citroën is dominated by a pair of tall glass greenhouses and a tethered air balloon. Its central green space is surrounded by six smaller gardens, designed on a complex plan that references days of the week, metals, human senses, planets and states of water. Not that much of that really matters to the neighbourhood's residents on a hot summer's day.

THE QUIET CHARM OF PASSY

Passy is an area of Paris, located in the 16th arrondissement. Passy is known to Americans as the home of patriot Benjamin Franklin during the nine years that he lived in France during the American Revolutionary War. For much of this time, he was a lodger in the home of Monsieur de Chaumont.

PARIS TRENDY CENTRE

PARIS, CAPITAL OF CULTURE

INSIDE THE ABBEY OF SAINT-GERMAIN

The Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, just beyond the outskirts of early medieval Paris, was the burial place of Merovingian kings of Neustria. At that time, the Left Bank of Paris was prone to flooding from the Seine, so much of the land could not be built upon and the Abbey stood in the middle of fields, or prés in French, thereby explaining its appellation.

PARIS IN MARCH

Over a year, Paris' climate can be described as mild and moderately wet. In winter, sunshine is scarce; days are cold but generally above freezing with temperatures around 7 °C. Light night frosts are however quite common, but the temperature will dip below −5 °C for only a few days a year. Snowfall is rare, but the city sometimes sees light snow or flurries with or without accumulation.

PARIS'S HÔTELS PARTICULIERS

ÉGLISE DE LA SAINTE TRINITÉ

THE LIONS OF PARIS

MUSEUMS

PARIS'S CLOCKS

ARC DE TRIOMPHE

PARIS ON THE NILE

Napoleon Bonaparte's campaign in Egypt and the Orient between 1798 and 1801 led to the rise of an architectural style known as Egyptian Revival in Paris, and generated several monuments across the French capital that drew on pharaohs, sphinxes and other iconic imagery for their decoration. But walk like an Egyptian for an afternoon through Paris and you'll find that the Napoleonic age is far from the only influence. Sometimes it seems that pyramids and obelisks are all around...

WANDERING AROUND LE MARAIS

Le Marais is a historic district in Paris. Long the aristocratic district of the city, it hosts many outstanding buildings of historic and architectural importance. It spreads across parts of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements in Paris (on the Right Bank of the Seine).

THE MUTE GUARDIANS OF THE LUXEMBOURG

The Jardin du Luxembourg is the second largest public park in Paris. In 1611, Marie de Medicis, the widow of Henry IV, decided to build a palace in imitation of the Pitti Palace in her native Florence. In 1612 she planted 2,000 elm trees, and directed a series of gardeners to build a park in the style she had known as a child in Florence. During and after the July Monarchy of 1848, the park became the home of a large population of statues; first the Queens and famous women of France.

FEELING FISHY? PARIS'S AQUARIUM

Paris was the world's first city to open an aquarium, wowing visitors to the Exposition Universelle of 1867 with tanks containing 800 species of fish and, in the process, inspiring parts of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Today's aquarium stands on the same site, but it's a far more modern proposition, containing 10,000 species, four million liters of water and two movie theatres. Feel like making some fishy friends? Take a look around…

SCULPTURE AND PERSPECTIVE

SCULPTURE AND PERSPECTIVE AT THE TROCADERO, PARIS

SAINT GERMAIN L'AUXERROIS

LITTLE TOKYO

Just a few minutes' walk from the imposing pillared façade of the Paris Opera is the rue Saint-Anne, a tiny enclave of Japanese life in the midst of the bustling French capital. Walk down here at lunchtime or in the evening and you'll see queues down the street for the most popular restaurants: this is where Parisians of all backgrounds and origins come for the best Japanese food in town. But wander on through the surrounding streets -- perhaps after stopping for a bowl of noodles --

PARIS THROUGH ITS ARCHITECTS

The history of French architecture runs in parallel with its neighbouring countries in Europe, with France being home to both some of the earliest pioneers in many architectural styles, and also containing some of the finest architectural creations of the continent.

PARIS'S COURTHOUSE

The imposing frontage of the Palais de Justice on Paris's Île de la Cité is imposing for a reason: it is meant to represent in metal, stone and golden ornament the full majesty of French law. Built on the site of a former royal palace, and flanked by the medieval edifice of the Sainte-Chapelle, the Palais de Justice today is one of the nerve centers of the French legal system, housing the country's court of last resort as well as the highest civil court and the appeals court for Paris.

GLASS STRUCTURES IN PARIS

The flash and dazzle of some of Paris's major public buildings stands testament to the longstanding love of the city's architects for working with glass. From ancient stained glass to the facetted panes of the Louvre Pyramid, these glittering monuments throw back the light of the City of Light wherever you go.

PEOPLE OF PARIS

BOIS DE BOULOGNE

ROOFTOPS OF PARIS

he greatest development in Paris's history began with the Industrial Revolution creation of a network of railways that brought an unprecedented flow of migrants to the capital from the 1840s. The city's largest transformation came with the 1852 Second Empire under Napoleon III; his préfet, Baron Haussmann, levelled entire districts of Paris' narrow, winding medieval streets to create the network of wide avenues and neo-classical façades that still make up much of modern Paris;

PYRAMIDE DU LOUVRE

FOUNTAINS AND FIGURES

In the Tuileries garden

ISLAND IN THE SEINE

MOULIN ROUGE: FÉERIE-LAND IN PARIS

The legendary Moulin Rouge cabaret, a landmark of Belle Epoque Paris and the spiritual birthplace of the can-can, still spins its red neon sails today, while international crowds still line the boulevard outside for a glimpse at one of its world renowned shows. These days the Moulin's revues are exercises in magnificent camp and extreme choreography -- after all, the place has that eye-popping Baz Luhrmann film to live up to now --

FRONT DE SEINE

RAILWAY STATIONS IN PARIS

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AROUND MONTPARNASSE

10 TH ARRONDISSEMENT

FAMOUS PARKS IN PARIS

STEP ON THE GAS

Sure, we all love a thoughtful approach to electric technology, a solid family car or a new eco-friendly hybrid, but some car designers just want to take your breath away. Even in these straitened times, the Paris Motor Show 2012 was still packed with purring monsters of the road, seemingly ready to spring like panthers onto the autoroute and roar off into the distance.

PASSERELLE LÉOPOLD SENGHOR

SAINT DENIS BASILICA

EIFFEL TOWER

NOTRE DAME MARKS 850 YEARS

The cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris on the Île de la Cité is one of the city's most instantly recognizable landmarks, a stunning example of French Gothic architecture whose iconic towers, medieval rose window and leering gargoyles are famous all over the world. This year Paris celebrates the 850th anniversary of the cathedral's founding in 1163, marking the occasion with processions, celebrations and a sequence of important renovations.

ILE DE LA CITÉ

MÉMORIAL DES MARTYRS DE LA DÉPORTATION The Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation is a memorial to the 200,000 people deported from Vichy France to the Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War. It is located in Paris, on the site of a former morgue, underground behind Notre Dame on Île de la Cité.

THE ROOTS OF DECONSTRUCTIVISM

PARIS'S PARC DE LA VILLETTE The Parc de la Villette is one of the largest parks in Paris, located at the northeastern edge of the 19th arrondissement. It houses a great concentration of cultural venues, including the City of Science and Industry. The park was designed by Bernard Tschumi, a French architect of Swiss origin, who built it from 1984 to 1987 on the site of the huge Parisian abattoirs and the national wholesale meat market, as part of an urban redevelopment project.

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MUSIC IN SPLASHES: THE STRAVINSKY FOUNTAIN The Stravinsky Fountain (French: La Fontaine Stravinsky) is a whimsical public fountain ornamented with sixteen works of sculpture, moving and spraying water, representing the works of composer Igor Stravinsky. It was created in 1983 by sculptors Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, and is located on Place Stravinsky, next to the Centre Pompidou, in Paris.

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A TRIBUTE TO ÉDITH PIAF, IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ... Édith Piaf (19 December 1915 – 11 October 1963) was a French singer who became widely regarded as France's national diva, as well as being one of France's greatest international stars. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being of Chanson and ballads, particularly of love, loss and sorrow. Among her songs are: - "La Vie en rose" (1946), - "Non, je ne regrette rien" (1960), - "Hymne à l'amour" (1949).

PRIS IN THE SPING

BATIGNOLLES AND AROUND

Batignolles was an independent village outside Paris until 1860, when the emperor, Napoleon III, annexed it to the capital. During the 19th century, Batignolles had an active cultural life, and it served as a base for the painter, Édouard Manet, and his friends, who became known as the "groupe des Batignolles". Batignolles is outside the center of Paris most visited by tourists, but attractions include the Square des Batignolles.

MUSÉE NATIONAL DU MOYEN-ÂGE

THE PARIS MOSQUE

HÔTEL DROUOT

THE PARIS OF EDITH PIAF

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90 YEARS OF THE ETERNAL FLAME AT PARIS'S ARC DE TRIOMPHE The tomb of the 'unknown soldier' beneath Paris's Arc de Triomphe honors one of the many French soldiers who died in the First World War. The man who lies there was buried on January 28, 1921, by an honour guard of eight decorated officers, but the idea of tending an eternal flame above his remains was proposed two years later. On November 11, 1923, the Armistice Day holiday, the French minister for war lit the first flame.

SHAKEASPEARE AND CO

PARC MONCEAU

The Parc Monceau is one of Paris's best kept secrets, painted by Monet numerous times. It is a very elegant centre of green in the middle of cosmopolitan Paris. Thanks to Haussmann himself this precious slice of parkland was reserved for the enjoyment and leisure of the people of Paris. It is unusual in France due to its casual, informal "English" style planning, and is a contrast to other Parisian parks such as the classically laid out and formal Luxemburg Gardens and the Tuileries.